The Pittsburgh Pirates Think an Additional Wild Card Team Increased Their Playoff Chances

Team president Frank Coonelly had Dan Fox, the Pirates’ statistical guru, build a computer model to illustrate the impact: The Pirates’ chance of making the playoffs increased 13 percent.

A team that hasn’t topped .500 since 1992 is thinking playoffs? The goals in Pittsburgh should be much more modest: Get 75 wins and go from there. Last time the Pittsburgh “Contract The” Pirates won 75 games? Way back in 2003. [Tribune Review]